Why are we here?
I ponder a lot about existential questions, from a human and religious perspective, such as, for example, why were we created? What is our role here? And so on, questions that are clearly not the first thing I think about, but for me it is at a level that requires solutions, especially in the religious and theological context. I will start with a question from a somewhat strange angle: does the blessing Baruch Din Ha'at come to bless God for what He does even when it hurts and stings us deeply because that is the truth, meaning that it should be that way even if we don't understand it? However, the blessing is generally for a favor and benefit that has been done to us (like a person thanking a doctor for a difficult and painful surgery to save his life), and this is not absolute gratitude to God without condition, but rather gratitude for a favor, and it is not really gratitude to God either, but gratitude for the reality that only in this way can truly work for our benefit (and in this case, God is the law of this truth), or is there something deeper here, such as surrender to God and the abolition of personal will? In other words, should we live with the feeling and understanding that the world was created [without consulting us first, because we were invented of our own accord] on a path of benefit that ultimately requires this world with all its hardships as preparation for something better, and therefore should we perceive everything in a good spirit, because this is the good path for us, or should we perceive the world as an obscure riddle that we are subject to will? God without any reward and submission is obligatory because He is God and we are the creatures without knowing or understanding what is happening here and why?
In the end, the world is probably destined to do good. But for the sake of benefit, difficult steps are also required. The Chazo"a in the book Emunah and Confidence explains that confidence does not mean believing that it will be good, but that it will be what it should be. Although, in the bottom line, I assume that he also agrees that everything will lead to improvement and benefit, but it is not necessary for you yourself to be good. When a sinner is punished, it is not good for him, but the punishment improves the world and perhaps him as well. Should he thank the legislator for the punishment? I don't know. But we, as humans, should thank the legislator; overall, things turn out better when there are punishments.
The Gemara thus states that a lost item is returned with signs. The Gemara asks why, since the owner of the lost item would not want us to return it without witnesses and only based on signs, because that opens the door to fraudsters (the signs do not absolutely verify that the recipient is indeed the owner). The Gemara answers that even a reasonable person would prefer that a lost item be returned with signs, because if the policy were not to return it with signs, then I too might find myself in a situation where I lost something and someone found it and I have no witnesses that it was mine, but only signs, and they would not return the lost item to me. Therefore, I myself prefer to take the risk that they will return the lost item to a fraudster who is not the owner, because otherwise there is a greater chance that they will not return my lost item to me. Now think: In a specific case where a fraudster came and accepted my lost item with the signs he gave. Should I thank the legislator for deciding to return the lost item with signs? Theoretically, maybe so (since as a policy, this is what I would want to be done), but in practice, I doubt I would do so (I would probably be angry with him).
In conclusion, I thank Him for the world He created but not for every single thing He does to me (some of which are unpleasant). But in theory I understand that everything is probably for good purposes.
In general, I think there is no point in discussing the questions of our purpose and role in the world, or the purpose of our creation. We have no way to arrive at a reasonable answer, and therefore it is a waste of time. Do what you think is right to do (mitzvot, morality, pleasures), and that is it. These hesitations do not advance anyone anywhere. They are just wordsmiths. I will quote what the Sages said about this (Berakhot 10:1): "In the herd of sheep, why do you have a dross? Why do you have a dross that you have given to the worker? And what is the highest and most holy thing in the world for the servant?"
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